Keep Your Enemies Closer
by Ellen Smithee
Summary: Lexi and Katherine are NOT friends. Lexi/Katherine


**1725**

It happened in a ballroom in the first half of the eighteenth century. Lexi couldn't remember who was hosting the ball-some rich, well-born Bostonian family, probably. Their eyes met across a crowded room, and Alexia Branson was caught in Katherine Pierce's snare.

Lexi was certain she should not have these feelings for a woman-it was improper and immoral-an abomination even, but Katherine's fingers and mouth and whispered promises were her undoing. And when the inevitable betrayal came, she thought she would die.

**1815**

They saw each other again almost a hundred years later-in New Orleans, to be exact. This time their eyes met across the makeshift hospital filled with the wounded of what would later turn out to be an unnecessary battle. Katherine just smiled at her in that sly, knowing way, and then she was gone. Lexi searched for her for days, not sure if she wanted to kill the woman who betrayed her-or beg her to stay.

**1917**

Lexi had tracked Stefan to San Francisco. He'd been in a bad way before he left, and she _knew_ he was going to have another relapse. She just hoped she could find him before he hurt someone this time.

She waited till after dark and then went to a newsstand to buy a newspaper to see if she could find any reports that would give her any clues as to his whereabouts. She turned around and stopped short. Her stomach twisted. After she'd found out about Katherine and Stefan, she'd made sure he never discover that Katherine was still alive. He had problems with his ripper nature as it was-what would happen if he fell into the clutches of his sire again? _And it had nothing to do with her own feelings for the bitch._

"Katherine."

"Hello, Alexia. Miss me?"

The next morning, Katherine was gone, but she'd left a note on the pillow:

_He's in Monterey._

**1987**

After the Bon Jovi concert, Lexi helped Stefan get back to the hotel and onto the bed. He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"You never could hold your liquor," she said to his unconscious form with a snort. _Among other things..._

She, on the other hand, wasn't quite as drunk as she'd pretended, so she left the hotel to get some fresh air and buy cigarettes from the 7-Eleven down the street. Stepping out of the store, she cupped her hand around her lighter and lit up before heading back to the hotel. She was just passing between two buildings when someone grabbed her, dragging her into the gloom of the alleyway. She tensed, ready to fight, and then relaxed when she recognized the soft body pressed against hers.

"You know those will kill you, right?" Katherine asked, snatching the cigarette out of Lexi's hand. Instead of tossing away, however, she just took a long drag from it, watching Lexi from under long lashes.

Lexi sighed. "What do you want, Katherine?"

Katherine shrugged. "I've been watching you two all evening," she said. "Does he ever mention me?"

Lexi shook her head. "No. He hasn't for a long time. Leave him alone, Katherine. He's doing so much better now."

Katherine's mouth twisted in obvious displeasure as she tossed away the cigarette.

"Come here." She pulled Lexi close.

It was hours before Lexi got back to the hotel, but Stefan was luckily still dead to the world.

**2009**

"Will you ever tell him about me?" Katherine asked. She was stretched out on Lexi's bed next to the open suitcase, her legs crossed. Only the bouncing of her foot provided a possible clue as to her emotions.

Lexi shook her head as she glanced out the window. She'd promised to wait till Lee got off work before she left for Mystic Falls to visit Stefan on his birthday, and she didn't want him to run into Katherine.

"You have to go," she said. "Lee will be home any minute."

"You didn't answer my question." Katherine narrowed her eyes.

Lexi sighed as she tossed the folded shirt into the suitcase. "Of course not," she said, not meeting Katherine's eyes. "He has a girlfriend now, a chance at happiness. He doesn't need you to show up and ruin his life."

Katherine pouted. "That's not a nice thing to say. I thought you were my friend, Alexia."

"We were never _friends_, Katherine," Lexi said, her voice hard.

Katherine pushed herself to her feet, prowling over to Lexi and using her superior strength to push the younger vampire until she was backed up against the wall. Katherine stood up on tiptoe, leaning in until her mouth was just a fraction of an inch from Lexi's.

"No, not friends," she whispered. "We were always much more than that."

She pressed her lips chastely against Lexi's. After a brief hesitation, Lexi returned the caress, losing herself in the moment. The sound of Lee's footstep on the front stoop brought her back and her eyes flew open. Katherine was gone.


End file.
